Auron's Tale
by Claire C. Griffon
Summary: Ten years ago, Jecht, Braska and I set out to defeat Sin. We were all prepared to fail. I don't think any of us were prepared for what actually happened: we succeeded. Enter the world of Auron, and learn about his past. I'm not the greatest at summarie
1. Prologue: A Lucan Cafe

I'm playing FFX right now, and one thing keeps bothering me: Auron's past. I mean, what was he like before he, Jecht and Braska defeated Sin? Did he have that scar? And what was his Zanarkand like? Above all, what was his pilgramidge with Braska like?

Since I'm too lazy to play through the entire game to find out before I write this, I figured I'd give writing his tale a shot. Be Forwarned though, as I haven't finished the game yet, there may be things that I change later on.

Disclaimer- I own nothing.

Spoiler Alert-What has happened at some points in the game in the Intro to this story.

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Final Fantasy- Auron's Tale

By: Claire C. Griffon

Entering into a Lucan Cafe', I sit down at a small table in the corner. I hope no one is going to approch me at all and want my autograph or something. Guess I'm too famoous to hope for that though. Before I'm even there five minutes, a young boy approches me. "Sir Auron?" he askes me hesitantly.

"Yeah. That's me." I reply. "What do you need?"

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

I motion to the seat across from me as my answer. The boy takes it, and sits down in that hard, wooden chair. His legs don't even reach the ground. They dangle about a foot off of it. His head barely clears the table as well. He moves about for a moment, and then he suddenly grows taller. He's kneeling on the chair. "Sir Auron," he begins again, "I have a question." I stare at him as I wait to hear it. When it finally registers in the boy's brain that this is what I want him to do, he talks again. "I was wondering if you might tell me about your pilgrimage with Lord Braska ten years ago."

Whatever I was expecting him to say, this sure as hell wasn't it. I'd never been asked that before in my life. It was always stuff like, "Can I shake your hand, Sir Auron?" or "Can I touch your sword, Sir Auron?" Really, I wasn't actually prepared to ever talk about these things. I stare down at the boy over the tops of my sunglasses and ask him coldly, "Why do you want to know about that? It was before your time."

The boy isn't even phased though. He just nodds and says, "I know. Still, the history of Spira has always entertained me. I think it's intresting. When most of my friends play Summoner and Sin, I like to just sit and read."

I stare at the boy for a while now as we both take each other in in silence. There is a hint of timeless widom in this child's face. The makings of a Maester, perhaps? Or maybe a priest at a Temple of Yevon. Finally, I decide that I can see no harm in telling this boy my tale. After all, he'll probably lose intrest in it soon enough and go out to read or something. Sighing, I lean back in my seat and look over at the sword leaning against the wall. My sword. Somehow, it gives me the strength I need to begin my tale.

"Ten years ago, my friend Jecht, the summoner Braska and I set out to take out Spira's biggest threat- Sin. Honestly, I didn't really know what to expect. It was one of my first times in Spira after all. The one thing I didn't expect though, was what actually happened. You see, we were all prepared for what would happen if we failed. I don't think any of us were prepared for what would happen if we succeeded.

"So come on. Go ahead and sit a while. I don't care. I'm sure Sin ain't gonna be back to this area for some time soon. If you'll listen, I'll tell you about that time. Maybe it'll dispel some of the beliefs you have about defeating, or not defeating Sin. Honestly, I don't care. In the end, it's up to yoou to do what you will with the information.

"I suppose you could say this whole mess started before I even knew about Spira. Before I knew my world was all a lie. Before I even heard about Sin, ten years earlier. Ten years younger, ten years dumber, ten years weaker, and ten years more innocent that I can ever hope to be again. It all started the day Jecht went for a boat ride off the coast of Zanarkand, and I went with."

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So, what do you think so far? As I get further and further through the game, I'll update this story. So, please bear with me for a while as I work my way through FFX and Auron's tale. 


	2. The Fin

Chapter 1- The Fin

"I don't know why you don't like boats so much Auron. There's nothing wrong with them," Jecht told me as he leaped onto his small sailing ship, completely ignoring the gangplank. 

I pushed my black hair out of my eyes so it was easier to glare at him. "It's just not normal. We're supposed to stay on land. If we were meant to live in or on the water, we would've been born with fins and gills," I replied somewhat testily. 

"So, you're afraid?" Jecht said, taunting me into getting on. Guess what? It worked. I carefully climbed aboard and almost fell face first into the deck as a large wave crested against the side of it's wooden hull. Of course, Jecht had to laugh. After all, it was in his nature. 

I slowly got up from my cat-like position on the smooth, sun warmed wood of the deck and moved into a more comfortable squatting position on my two booted feet. It was hard to do, considering the fact that my boot are basically unbendable, but I managed it. The boat didn't seem to move as much from that position, so I decided to stay there for the duration of the entire trip. It was safe there, after all. Or, at least a hell of a lot safer than Jecht's position. 

He was standing on the railing of the boat with his arms outstreched, leaning over the water. He was always tempting fate like that. _I wonder what would happen if I went and pushed him in,_ I thought. The thought made me laugh. The noise caused Jecht to lose his balance slightly and start to windmill his arms about to regain his balance. This, in turn, made me laugh even harder. Still, what else could one expect from a star Blitzer though? _No, wait. I former star Blitzer,_ I amended. Jecht had only just retired from Blitzing, and I think that fact was still sinking in. I think it still was for a lot of people though. I mean, Jecht was a legend in his own right. Legends aren't supposed to grow old and retire. 

When I looked up again, I saw the dock suddenly start to recede. Quickly I ran to the side, suddenly finding my sea legs from out of nowhere. "Jecht, why the hell are we moving?" I asked him, never taking my eyes off of the rapidly disappearing shore line. 

Jecht looked over at me from his place behind the rudder, or wheel or whatever the hell it was called on a boat. "Auron, Auron, Auron," he said, shaking his head from side to side. "Where's your sense of adventure?" 

"Apparently, I must have left it on the shore," I remarked dryly. 

Jecht laughed at my comment, then continued on. "Be that as it may, how else are we going to catch anything if we don't leave the dock and the sight of land?" 

"I'm more curious as to how you plan to catch anything in these waters. There hasn't been anything that even remotly resesbles life here for decades," I told him. 

Jecht only shrugged. "What can I say? I've always been one for a challenge." 

I smiled slightly. It was true though. In all the time I've known him, I don't think I've once seen Jecht turn down a challenge. And, if my observations proved ture, that meant we wouldn't be returning anytime soon. At least, not until Jecht had caught something. Resigning myself to a long, several, boring hours, I walked over to the main mast and sat down with my back against it. 

I don't know when it happened, but I must have fallen asleep out there that day. When I woke up, the sun was hanging on the horizon. The orange ball of fire cast a clear reflection in the smooth water. The reflection looked kind of like a path that I might walk on back in the city. The site of it calmed me a litte. I think it was because it reminded me so much of Zanarkand. 

Slowly, I got up from my spot and walked over to where Jecht was still fishing. "Catch anything yet?" I asked him. 

"No, but not for lack of trying," he told me. Suddenly, he stiffened, something he only did when something had caught his intrest. 

"What?" I asked him. 

"Look out there. In the sunlight. You see anything?" 

I looked out to where his finger was pointing. Squinting, I was able to make out the barest hint of a fin, and it's shadow. And I shouldn't have been able to even do that. It was too far away to evenbe able to think about seeing. There was nothin in this world that was that big. Nothing, natural, that is. "Yeah, I see it," I replied slowly. Then, I turned to him. "And do you know what I think we should do?" 

"What?" he asked me, not taking his eyes off of the fast approching... thing. 

"Get the hell out of here," I told him sharply. 

In an instant, Jecht was on the move. He was pulling up sails and lashing tigether things faster than I even thought was possible. "Good idea!" he yelled back at me. 

I had no clue what I could do to help though. I was never good on boats, and hated the damn things. So, I mainly just stood at the side, whatching that dreaded fin get closer and closer. It took Jecht all of about two minutes to get under full sail. That thing was at us five seconds later. 

It hit us with the force of Jecht doing his famous shot times 100. Yeah. It was that hard. I was thrown from the boat and crashed headfirst into the crystal clear water. All the sir I had held in my lungs at that point was crushed out of me, and I nearly blacked out. I think that was the fastest anyone has ever learned to swim. As I made my way back up to the surface, there was a brilliant flash of blinding light ahead of me. I closed my eyes, but the damage had already been done. My eyes becaue ultra sensative. As I poped back up to the surface, I saw that even the receding sunlight was hurting them. I also saw that our boat was nothing more than a few splinters and spars. 

Sighing inwardly, I began my long journey back to the shores of Zanarkand. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't stay out there. Someone had to be the one to tell his wife and Tidus that he was dead. 


	3. Recounting Events

Chapter 2- Recounting Events  


It took me almost all night to get back to Zanarkand. I don't remember a whole lot about that journey. About all I do remember was how much I kept wanting that thing to come back and take me to wherever Jecht was. Shelfish, I know, but I didn't think I could live here without my best friend. 

When I reached the sandy shoreline, the sun was just starting to rise. With the last bit of strength I posessed, I oulled myself up out of the water's reach. I layed there on that sand, letting the sun beat down upon my bare chest, for the better part of the day. When it was a few hours after noon, I got up again. 

The sun had dried the water from me completely un the time that I had been out in it. Its rays had also turned my skin to a golden bronze color. My eyes hurt so much from its influence though. I had made a mental list of things that I would need to get on my way back to Zanarkand. I added a pair of sunglasses to it. 

AS I walked on the path that would eventually return me to the city, I recieved many strenge looks. These looks multiplied as the population did. I guess most of them were regarding my apperance. My hair, which was usually in a neat braid at the back of my neck, was unbound and flowing freely across my bare chest. I received a few comments about putting my shirt back on as I neared the city, but I only smiled bitterly at them. I had abandoned my shirt long ago as I was swimming for shore in hopes that it would be easier to move. 

When I reachedthe city, the first thingI did was head for my homeat the outskirts of what could still be considered living in the city. There, I grabbed a shirt that I had hardly ever worn and a red jacket that had belonged to my father. The shirt was black and sleeveless, with a small amount of metal armoring on the front and back. Originally, it had been designed for wearing while fencing. I hadn't fenced in years, but its purpose would serve me well enough for what I had in mind. The jacket was red and came down to the floor. With yellow trim and the high black collor, it was easy to see why my father had enjoyed wearing it so much. 

Armed with these items, I went in search of the next thing on my list- sunglasses. 

I found a nice pair at a street vendor's cart outside of the stadium. They were round, rimmed with silver, and small. They also fit into the pocket of my jacket, which is where they would stay if I had no use for them. I handed over 50 Gil for them, then pocketed my newest aquisition. 

As I walked down the paths of the city, I kept coming up with different reasons as to why I shouldn't go tell Jecht's wife and Tidus about his fate. The fact that it was way too late kept coming back to me. The sun had already set by the time I had reached my home, so it was even later now. 

When I found myself outside of their home though, I knew that it was time to stop making excuses and to do what needed to be done. Before I could lose my resolve, I walked up to the door and rang the bell. 

Jecht's wife, Leila, appeared a moment later, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "I'm sorry if I woke you," I told her in an even tone. 

"No, no. I wasn't sleeping. Jecht still hasn't come back yet and I'm worried about him. I can't sleep when I'm worried," Leila explained with a slight smile playing about her face. 

I felt so awful doing this to her, but it had to be done. She had a rightto know what had happened to her husband. "That's actually why I'm here," I explained to her. "Do you mind if we go inside to talk?" 

Leila moved out of the way of the door and led me into a small kitchen. There was a pot of coffee sitting there on the counter, and she poured some into a mug for herself before sitting down at the table. "Oh, I completely forgot to ask you," she said,"but would you like anything to drink?" 

"No thanks," I answered from where I was leaning against the wall. 

"So, you wanted to talk?" About Jecht?" she asked my hopefully. 

_Guard your emotions,_ I told myself. Taking a deep breath, I siad in a voice absent of all feeling and emotion, "Jecht is gone, probably dead. I'm sorry." 

Leila gasped loudly, the cup she had been holding slid out of her grasp and fell to the floor where it shattered. "H...h...how?" she asked me eventully. 

So, I proceeded to tell her about what had happened out there on the ocean yesterday. Leila took it hard, but seemed to remain in control. When my tale was finished and all of her questions answered to the best of my ability, the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizion again. "Do you want me to tell Tidus, or would you like to?" I asked her. 

"I will," Leila told me firmly. 

"Very well. I shall take my leave then."I walked back over to the door and opened it up. The sun's light reached my eyes and I held up a hand to shield them from it. That's when I remembered the sunglasses. 

With my left hand, I reached into my pocket and pulled them out. Putting them on dampened the sun's light consideribly. _Perfect_, I told myself as I walked home


	4. Sin: Take Two

Chapter 3- Take Two of Sin

I checked back with Jecht's family every so often. Each time I went, Leila seemed to be getting weaker and weaker. It was as if she had given up on life. Tidus, on the other hand, grew stonger and stronger. I think he was out to prove that his father's disappearance, and, in his eyes, death, meant nothing to him.

The boy walked around a lot now. Especially at night. Sometimes, I followed far behind him to make sure he didn't get into any trouble. IT was on one such night, about a month after Jecht had gone, that I approched him. "How's your mother?Dead yet?" I asked.

Tidus turned to look at me, anger blazing deep within his eyes."She's not going to die," he told me forcefully.

"Really?" I responded."My mistake." Then I walked away, leaving him with his thoughts. It was a cruel thing to do, I know, but someone needed to bring him back into the real world, and his mother sure as hell wasn't going to be doing that anytime soon.

A few days later, Leila did die. Tidus was sent to live with some other family members until he could care for himself. As for me, I went back to my new life.

As soon as I had returned, I had taken up fencing again. Now that I had surpassed the master, I knew that it was time for me to leave.

The night I left, I looked about my home for the last time.There was nothing there that really marked it as mine.For all instances, it could have been a home in a show that was always shown on the Sphere. I opened the door and stepped into the night, making a silent vow to myself that I would not return unless Jecht, or his remains, were with me.

I walked down to the docks in search of a small craft. I was able to find one for 200 Gil. I took it. It was a small price to pay to be able to be in the possession of the one thing that would bring me to where ever Jecht was.

As I set sail, I was completely absent of all emotions. One small part of me realized that this meant that I was no longer afraid of boats and of water.That little part also figured out it was because of my run in with that fin. When I got to where Jecht and I had been attacked all those months ago, I sropped sail and anchor and waited. I was there for the whole night and until the sun began to rise again. That's when the fin returned.

"Come and get me!" I yelled out to it. "Take me to where you took Jecht!"

The fin came. Faster and faster it approched the boat, seemingly faster than it had before on the day of that fateful sunset. I didn't move though. I knew what had to be done. I knewI had to let this thing attack me.Only then could I go to where Jecht had gone.I don't think it ever occured to me that Jecht could have been dead. Somehow, deep inside me, I knew he was alive. Jecht was somewhere, and only this thing could take me there.

When it hit me this time, I held on fast to the railing surrounding the boat. The fin came out of the water, and, for the first time, I actually got to see what was attached to it under the water. I wished I hadn't.I don't think there are words enough to describe what it looks like.You know what I mean if you've ever seen Sin. Anything you say only covers about a half of what is actually there.

I lifter my head to the sky and closed my eyes, knowing that the flash of blinding light would soon be coming. And come it did.

I felt my feet leave the deck,and, for one moment, I thought I was being tossed into the water again.But when no splash came, I knew that I was floating there in the air.

I don't know how long I was there for.Time had no meaning for me while I floated. It could have been five seconds, five minutes, or even five years.I didn't care. In fact, I didn't care about anything. I think, for the first time in my life, I was actually at peace. That was when the pain came.

It was excruating pain that came with the light. It felt like I was being pierced over and over again with thosands of daggers all over my body while being burned alive at the same time.

Then, in the same moment the pain began, it was gone. The light quickly ebbed away and the fin was gone. I was laying face up in the water a few miles off a small island. It might have been the edge of a continet too, I didn't know.Or care. All I knew was that the place I saw was where I needed to go.

So, slowly, I began to make my way towards the land I saw, hoping the place I saw would be the place I found Jecht.


End file.
